Photo: PopePompus · CC BY-SA 4.0141 homes sold in Polk City in the last year, at a typical $408K
Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Polk City homes are listed.
Every place Polk City homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Polk City.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
8% of Polk City’s sales are condos, at $48K less than a house
114 houses and 10 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Condos sell faster and draw more bidding wars.
typical sale · 114 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $266IA $158
- Days to sell
- 74
- Sold over asking
- 19%
- Listings with a price cut
- 32%
typical sale · 10 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $238IA $165
- Days to sell
- 39
- Sold over asking
- 30%
- Listings with a price cut
- 67%
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.5 times the 2016 price
141 sales in the last year, against 166 in 2020 and a low of 80 in 2014. The typical sale went from $268K in 2016 to $408K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
What $400K buys in Polk City
Check a listing against what Polk City homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Polk City are back to pre-pandemic levels, but a third fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Polk City’s home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to September 2026, 141 sales.
If you’re buying in Polk City
- Shop in May. It brings about 16 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (31% over asking).
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 98.3% of the list price on average; 24% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 27% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 57 days.
Spring brings the homes; fall brings the bidding wars
April has the most new listings (about 20 a month), but November is the most competitive: 35% of November sales close over asking. January has the least competition (22%) but only about 8 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Calmer than the 2021 frenzy, and about like Iowa as a whole
| Polk City now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | IA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 24% | 26% | 41% | 20% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 27% | 17% | 38% | 35% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 98.3% | 99.3% | 100.3% | 97.5% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 57 | 99 | 41 | 46 |
41 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.5 times the 2024 low (28), 37% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2019’s 75.
Since 2019, houses are up 44%, condos 56%
A house typically sold for $420K in the year to May 2026 (114 sales), a condo for $372K (10).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Polk City ranks 23rd of 91 busy Iowa markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Polk City is in the middle of the pack.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2012 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Polk City home costs about $2,678 a month
Price: Polk City’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Polk City’s 1.6% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Polk City is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in April
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 6.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $408K home, about $6,590 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Polk City, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in Polk CityTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Polk City.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Granger, Johnston, Ankeny, Madrid, Grimes and Saylorville sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Polk City, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ankeny | 1,627 | $337K | $225 | 19% | 52 |
| Johnston | 384 | $383K | $223 | 16% | 40 |
| Grimes | 292 | $359K | $243 | 24% | 54 |
| Polk City | 141 | $408K | $270 | 24% | 57 |
| Granger | 63 | $322K | $235 | 21% | 75 |
| Madrid | 46 | $231K | $179 | 34% | 47 |
| Saylorville | 38 | $355K | $245 | 7% | 52 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Polk City, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Polk City. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Polk City with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Polk City
What do homes sell for in Polk City, IA?
141 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $408K, $270 a square foot. Houses sold for about $420K, condos for about $372K in the year to May 2026.
Is Polk City a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 32 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 14 sold, about 2.2 months of supply. Buyers paid 98.3% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Polk City?
April brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Polk City?
About 1.6% of a home’s value a year. On a $408K home that’s near $6,590.
Where can I see homes for sale in Polk City?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Polk City’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Polk City.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).